Seabrook Island

June 16th marked the 40th wedding anniversary for Max & Mary Jane. To celebrate, we all went to Seabrook Island, South Carolina for a week at the beach. Seabrook is really natural, with quite a bit of space between buildings and the beach. We saw deer daily either from our dining room window or along the boardwalk to the beach. Dolphins would swim so close to the shore - they really were just a few feet out!
We didn't venture off the Island much - and spent most of the time just enjoying the beach, the pool, and relaxing. We rented bikes, so we could bike up to the pool and John took Edie on several long rides around the island to the crabbing dock, the marina, and to dog beach.

John, Edie, Poppy & MJ biking to the crabbing dock

The Bikers

Along with it's natural beauty in general, one of the best things about Seabrook was the dog friendly beaches. Sadie LOVED being able to go to the beach. She was allowed on all the beaches on leash, and at the designated Dog Beach, she could run off leash in the mornings and evenings. So we took her over there almost every morning for a good romp in the surf - she loved retrieving her bouy in the waves and rolling in the sand afterwards.








And Edie loved the beach every bit as much as Sadie did...

Edie playing in "the Pool". She kept calling the beach the pool, as if it was just a bigger pool than the other swimming pool.

She loved watching the water and sand wash between her toes!

Enjoying the water's edge with Poppy

We did venture in to Charleston one day to visit John's friend Ted. Ted took us out on his boat with his daughter Frances, who is almost 3. He took us along The Battery by boat, over to Sullivan's Island, and then lunch at The Boat House on Isle of Palms. I think this might have been the highlight of Edie's trip. Boat Boat Boat is all she has talked about after that!

Swimming off the boat by Sullivan's Island

Riding on the Boat!

And for the big Anniversary celebration, we went to the Wild Olive Restaurant on John's Island. I wish we had gotten more pictures of the whole family together, but we didn't think to take them until after dinner, which is also right about meltdown time. So these were the best we could get - none with Breia or me in them, but at least we got a good one of the "Original Mascarich" family!

A very tired Edie with the Anniversary Couple

John, Max, MJ, & Todd

Happy Anniversary Max and Mary Jane, and thank you so much for the wonderful week at the beach!

Bernheim Forest

Since today was a holiday, we decided to head out to Bernheim Forest for a quick hike. It was Edie's first outing in her backpack (pac pac is what she calls it). She loved it! She loved it so much, when it was time to stop to eat lunch, she started crying and saying "More"! She did not want to get out of it!

4th of July!

Edie really enjoyed the 4th of July festivities this year. Uncle Rob came over on Saturday with Clayton & Davis to watch the Old Fashioned 4th of July parade in our neighborhood. Lots of old fire engines and old time cars that were all decorated in red, white, and blue. That was followed by hot dog grilling and swimming!

The Robfather and Edie heading to the parade

The crew waiting for the parade to start on Frankfort Avenue!

Davis taking good care of Edie while waiting for the parade

Showing off her necklaces that the Mayor threw her in the parade!

On Sunday, the actual 4th of July, we took Edie up to the Peterson-Dumesnil house for the Old Fashioned 4th of July festival that our neighborhood puts on. There was a kids area, but she's pretty leary of the bouncy houses. So we enjoyed walking though the art festival (and scoping out other embroidery/monogramming booths!), some ice cream from the Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen, and all the live music on the lawn. We ran into several friends, who had children close in age to Edie. So the kids all had a great time dancing to the music and rolling in the grass! She had so much fun, and got so worn out, that we had to head home before the big fireworks show. We did a few fireworks out in the street with our neighbors though, just before Edie went to bed. She loved it! Each time they set one off she'd clap and yell "Oooohhhh" and "WoW", and when each one would finish she would say and sign "More!". She really loved it!

Dancing with Dad at the festival

Running around and dancing at the festival

Taking a break from dancing

She LOVES little Edie size chairs - she pilfered this one from one of the other kids

Sparklers with dad!